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Bible Study Discussions with Gary Panell
Question:
I am a woman in my 50s, and I am a Christian, but for many years when I was much younger I fell into drugs, and alcohol and was promiscuous. During that time I had relations with my uncle who was also an alcoholic. I have confessed my sins to the Lord, but this is weighing heavy on my heart. My uncle has passed away many years ago. Do you believe I have been forgiven and how can I work past this?
Answer: First, I would like to remind you and others that drugs and alcohol always end up causing people trouble. No one can convince me otherwise, and of course, this is exactly what Scripture says it will do. "Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor, pressing him to your bottle, even to make him [her] drunk, that you may look on their nakedness!" (Habakkuk 2:15.)
Another issue that you bring up is about whether or not you have been forgiven. Here are some verses in 1 Corinthians 6 that you need to read about forgiveness:
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)
Look at what this verse says about your past, but such were some of you. But you were washed [by the blood of Christ, when you received Him as your Lord and Savior], but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.”
This is in the past tense, because when you truly repented of your sins, turned from them, and turned to Christ to save you, your sins were washed away. Look, Paul had helped kill Christians, he had whipped them, men and women, he had put them in jail, but God, by His grace saved Paul. Look what Paul has to say about his past.
“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
John says in 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” You have confessed these sins to your Lord Jesus Christ. Now believe His Word, you are forgiven! We have written several other articles you may want to look at on this subject. But Jesus says to you, “Go on and live for Me! He [she] who is forgiven much will love much!”
“Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.
“Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." So he said, "Teacher, say it."
"There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more."
“And He said to him, "You have rightly judged." Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.
“You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little." Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
“And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you. Go in peace." (Luke 7:36-50)
I hope this helps, your brother in Christ,
Gary T. Panell
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